Directions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place the chopped bacon in the skillet and cook until the fat separates from the meat. Melt the butter in the skillet. Stir in the lemon juice and garlic paste. Add the Swiss chard to the butter mixture. When the leaves begin to wilt, place a cover on the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Allow the chard to cook while covered for about 4 minutes. Stir the chard leaves to coat with the butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jun 01, 2010

Ohhhhh, don't discard the stems! Like most Italians, I've eaten Swiss Chard all my life and I'd have to say it's my favorite vegetable. The cooking method in this recipe is pretty accurate, but...don't discard the stems! Slice them as you would celery, then cover with water and simmer until tender, then add them to the leaves. The stems of Rainbow chard are particularly pretty and add great texture and contrast, not to mention flavor! I don't bother making a garlic paste, mincing the garlic is perfectly fine. Lemon is not something I routinely add and I found I liked it, tho' I only gave it a squeeze from a half lemon. I didn't use as much bacon either, tho' the term "one bunch" of Swiss Chard is vague, so certainly add all ingredients to taste. For those not familiar with Swiss Chard it is mild, tender and a little sweeter than spinach - not bitter at all like other greens. The effort involved to wash, trim and cook it is well worth it!

Garlic and bacon, what's not to love? And the added zip of the lemon was great... I didn't think it needed salt & pepper and skipped it altogether. 4.5 stars! Because even though it's delicious, I would like something a little easier on the heart. :) Sidenote: be sure to chop the chard into manageable pieces; it does not wilt down the same way spinach does, just fyi.

We LOVED this recipe. I got Swiss Chard at the Farmers Market and didn't know how to cook it because I knew there was something about the bitter taste but I didn't remember what. Anyway, this was a terrific first way to try it! I would imagine it would be great for spinach or beet greens as well, only less cooking?
Thanks....

Wow!!! I got family to eat this and ask for seconds... and they never would eat swiss chard before! I used the first batch of chard from the garden and plan to use this recipe often. Although I removed the stems, I cut them up and sauteed them with for a few minutes before adding the chopped leaves. They were delicious!

I used rainbow chard which made it really pretty for Christmas dinner. I used the stems and cooked them in the pan a couple minutes before adding the leaves, which adds a nice crunch. The flavor was great, everybody asked for seconds and it was great as leftovers, too!

Fantastic! I had no problem figuring out this recipe, so easy and it came out delicious! I'd never tried Swiss Chard before but my other gardening friends all grew it so I thought I'd give it a shot. Only difference was I used minced fresh garlic instead of paste. In a recipe, unless otherwise stated, an ingredient is typically raw, like the bacon for instance. Covering the dish for 4 minutes is important because this lets the juices from the leaves steam themselves, producing a tender-crisp texture that is just delicious! It did not say to remove the bacon or drain the grease like one reviewer did, the grease is part of the sauteing fat so I left it in and followed the instructions as written, and with that there was plenty of liquid to cook in. One bunch was perfect, and from what I've seen a bunch is typically 8 to 12 leaves... just right for a family of 3 or 4. The recipe was perfectly clear to me, and the whole family loved it! It earns its 5 stars!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.